Houston Person; Reminiscing At Rudy’s

Like the rain in my beloved hometown of Portland, Oregon, some things can simply be counted on, expected, even welcomed. With that in mind, we have come to expect an album or two per year from the bluesy veteran tenor man, Houston Person. This time, at Rudy Van Gelder’s famous New Jersey studio, he holds forth with an ever swinging group of much admired colleagues. Consider such heavyweights as Larry Fuller, piano; Russell Malone, guitar; Matthew Parrish, bass; and Lewis Nash, drums. Formidable lineup, wouldn’t you agree? Nash even gets a vocal opportunity on “Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You”. And behold, he does a silky sweet job on the ballad. Other evergreens (all instrumental, of course) include “Why Did I Choose You”, “Again”, “My Romance”, and even an uptempo take on “Moon River”. Person’s warm, intimate tenor simply envelops the listener, and his all-star compatriots are totally engaged

in an album of revered tunes played with all the caring and feeling they deserve. In closing, I’d say that Houston Person reminds me a bit of the much admired Gene Ammons, master tenor men both. There are still a handful of musicians playing the American Songbook. Houston Person is one of them. And for that we extend our thanks to this dedicated, great PERSON!
High Note; 2022; appx. 57 min.